Richard Gere Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics

Richard Gere is an actor and humanitarian activist. He is known for appearing in many films such as American Gigolo (1980), Pretty Woman (1990), Primal Fear (1996), etc. Richard has worked a lot related to AIDS awareness. In 2016, during the Presidential elections, he also supported Hillary Clinton and donated $2,700 to her campaign.

Born Name

Richard Tiffany Gere

Nick Name

Richard

Richard Gere during the United States House of Representatives Member Party in December 2017 (Nancy Pelosi / Flickr / CC BY 2.0)

Sun Sign

Virgo

Born Place

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Residence

Pound Ridge, Westchester County, New York, United States

Nationality

Education

Richard Gere went to the North Syracuse Central High School and graduated in 1967. He then got admission at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on a gymnastics scholarship. He had chosen philosophy as his major but didn’t graduate from the university as he dropped out after 2 years.

Occupation

Actor and activist

Family

Father – Homer George Gere (Worked as an Insurance Agent with the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company)

Manager

Build

Average

Height

5 ft 10 in or 178 cm

Weight

79 kg or 174 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Richard Gere has dated

Loree Rodkin – Richard Gere has had an affair with popular jewelry designer, Loree Rodkin, who has earned millions from her jewelry sales all over the world. She herself confirmed their affair in her interview with a Hollywood tabloid.

Diana Ross (1966) – In 1966, Gere was linked with popular singer and songwriter Diana Ross. They had been seen together for a couple of public dates during that year.

Barbara Carrera (1970) – In 1970, Gere was in a relationship with the actress and model Barbara Carrera. In her interviews, she credited Gere for helping her reconnect with her estranged father. She also revealed that his interest in metaphysical Buddhist principles proved endearing to her.

Carole Mallory – In her autobiography, Picasso’s Ghost, the model and socialite Carole Mallory revealed that she had a one-night stand with Gere in the late 70s. She also complimented his skills in the bedroom in her memoirs.

Penelope Milford (1971-1978) – As per reports, Richard started dating actress Penelope Milford in 1971. They had fallen for each other while working on the Broadway production of Long Time Coming and a Long Time Gone. They dated for about 7 years before ending their relationship in 1978. She would later claim that it felt they had dated for just a year because they had to spend most of the time away from each other due to various work commitments.

Dawn Steel (1975-1978) – Gere started going out with Dawn Steel, who is remembered as one of the first women to run a Hollywood studio as the head of Columbia Pictures, in 1975. He had told her that she was pretty enough for him to date. He even asked her to visit him in England where he was shooting for the movie Yanks. However, when she reached there, she found out that Gere was having an affair with someone else as well. She realized that it was time for her to end things with him.

Dalila Di Lazzaro (1978-1980) – Richard started dating Italian model and actress Dalila Di Lazzaro in 1978. Their affair lasted for about two years.

Barbra Streisand (1980) – According to reports, Gere was dating singer and actress Barbra Streisand in 1980. It was even claimed that he had been an inspiration behind her music album, Woman in Love. However, such reports seem to be inaccurate as the album was released in the same year and worked would have started on it at least a year before.

Sylvia Martins – Gere was linked with the Brazilian painter, Sylvia Martins throughout the late 70s and up to the mid-eighties. Sylvia had accompanied Gere to the eventful trip of Nepal in 1978, which led to him committing himself completely to the Buddhism. By the mid-eighties, the tabloids had officially started calling Martins as Gere’s girlfriend. They had been seen together on numerous occasions including on dinner and theatre dates.

Kim Basinger (1986) – In 1986, it was reported that he was dating actress Kim Basinger. The source of these reports was her first husband Ron Snyder-Britton, who had accused Basinger of having hooked up with her No Mercy co-star.

Cindy Crawford (1987-1995) – Richard Gere started dating supermodel Cindy Crawford in 1987. They had first met at the barbecue at the popular photographer Herb Ritts’ house in 1987. They started dating soon after. They got married in 1991 after having dated for about 4 years. When they got married, he was 42 years old while she was only 25. This age would later come back to haunt them as she would blame it for the failure of their marriage in her interviews. They divorced in 1995.

Julia Roberts (1989) – In 1989, Gere was rumored to have hooked up with actress Julia Roberts. It was said that their romance had blossomed on the sets of their iconic movie, Pretty Woman.

Laura Bailey (1995) – He was rumored to be going out with English writer and model Laura Bailey in 1995.

Uma Thurman (1996) – In January 1996, Richard Gere’s name was linked with much younger actress, Uma Thurman.

Carey Lowell (1996-2013) – Gere started going out with model and actress Carey Lowell in 1996. They took their relationship to the next level by getting married in November 2002. In the meanwhile, Lowell had given birth to their son, Homer James Jigme Gere in February 2000. In September 2013, it was revealed that they had ended their 11 years of old marriage. However, the divorce proceedings dragged on for three years as they were locked in a dispute over the settlement.

Padma Lakshmi (2014) – The reports of Gere dating model and TV host Padma Lakshmi started doing rounds in the early months of 2014. It was claimed that they were taking it slow as Gere was the first man she had dated after the death of her boyfriend Teddy Forstmann. In October 2014, it was claimed that they felt their relationship wasn’t going anywhere.

Alejandra Silva Friedland (2015-Present) – In the summer of 2015, Gere had reportedly started dating Spanish activist Alejandra Silva Friedland. It was claimed that their shared interest in activism and charity had brought them together. They had been dating since the last months of 2014. They made their red-carpet debut as a couple at the Madrid premiere of Gere’s film Time Out of Mind in November 2015. In December 2017, it was claimed that they had got engaged after she was seen with an antique-looking diamond ring at the charity event. In April 2018, the Spanish press reported that Gere and Silva had got married in a secret wedding ceremony.

Race / Ethnicity

He has English, Dutch, and Scottish ancestry. He has traces of Scots-Irish, Welsh, and French roots too.

Hair Color

White

Eye Color

Dark Brown

Sexual Orientation

Straight

Distinctive Features

White hair

Handsome looks

Prominent nose

Brand Endorsements

Richard Gere has appeared in the TV commercials for the following brands –

Ferrero Chocolates

Meals on Wheels

Lancia Delta automobile

Orangina

Fiat (for European market)

The Tokyo Towers

Dandy House

VISA Credit Card

DIRECTV

Religion

He was raised in a devout Methodist household. But, while studying in the university, he discovered Buddhism and as the years passed, he moved closer to the Asian religion, until he became one of the most vocal Buddhists in the western world.

Best Known For

Being cast in the leading role in the iconic romantic drama, Pretty Woman.

Having played important roles in successful movies such as An Officer and a Gentleman, The Cotton Club, Primal Fear, and Runaway Bride.

Having played the role of Billy Flynn in the musical comedy-drama, Chicago, which helped him bag a SAG Award as well as Golden Globe as a member of the cast.

First Film

In 1975, Richard made his theatrical film debut in the crime drama movie, Report to the Commissioner.

First TV Show

In 1976, Richard Gere made his first TV show appearance in the Birthday Party episode of the crime drama TV series, Kojak.

Personal Trainer

Richard Gere relies on his daily meditation routine to keep his mind and body healthy. It also helps him keep blood pressure low, which is essential when a person is gracing towards the 70s. Plus, it helps him deal with daily stress and other mental burdens.

When it comes to diet, he has given up red meat for more than 30 years. However, he isn’t complete vegetarian as well.

Richard Gere Favorite Things

Films – Days of Heaven (1978), Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer (2016), Babette’s Feast (1987), Bicycle Thieves (1949), Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)

Richard Gere at the opening ceremony of the 50th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2015 (JanPress / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 4.0)

Richard Gere Facts

While studying in high school, he was a member of the lacrosse team, ski team, and gymnastics team. He was also a member of the student council.

He was once banned from the Oscar awards after he had launched scathing criticism of China during the 1993 awards ceremony. He was miffed with that way, the Asian giant had treated Tibet over the years.

He is an accomplished music writer and pianist. In fact, he has performed a piano solo that was later featured in his iconic movie, Pretty Woman.

He was offered the lead role in the action movie Die Hard. However, he turned it down and it turned out to be a huge favor for Bruce Willis.

To prepare for his role in the acclaimed musical flick Chicago, he took tap dancing training for 5 months.

In 1991, he established his non-profit organization by the name of “The Gere Foundation”, which has focused on various international humanitarian issues with special emphasis on an issue plaguing Tibet.

With the first paycheck that he earned for touring with a stage production of Grease, he bought a 750cc Triumph T140V Bonneville from Triumph’s Meriden factory. The updated version of this motorbike was featured in his movie, An Officer and a Gentleman.

In 1993, he and his then-wife Cindy Crawford were recognized as the sexiest couple by the People’s Magazine.

He and his former wife Carey Lowell are co-owners of the Bedford Post Inn, which has 8 bedrooms, a yoga studio, meditation center, and 2 restaurants.

He is a guitar aficionado and has an impressive collection of acoustic and electric guitars, which includes 1931 Martin D-28, 1935 John D’Angelico Exel, 1953 Fender Telecaster, 1954 Fender Stratocaster, 1958 Gibson Flying V Prototype, and 1960 Gibson ES-335 TD.

The role he regrets turning down the most is of Gordon Gekko in 1987 movie, Wall Street. The role was played by Michael Douglas.

He started his professional acting career by performing at the Seattle Repertory Theatre and Provincetown Playhouse.

He is considered one of the first Hollywood actors to have played a homosexual character as he was cast in the role of gay Holocaust victim in the 1979 Broadway production of Bent.

He bagged his role in his breakthrough movie American Gigolo after the opportunity was turned down by John Travolta.

In 1995, he was appointed as the President of the Jury for the 19th Moscow International Film Festival.

In May 2012, the Albanian President, Bamir Topi honored him with Medal of Gratitude, in recognition of Gere’s activism work to raise awareness about the ethnic cleansing of the Albanian civilians by the Serbian military machine in Kosovo.

To prepare for his role in An Officer and Gentleman, he took special karate classes.

In April 2007, a case for violation of public obscenity laws was filed against Gere in India after he embraced and kissed Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty on several occasions on the cheek during AIDS awareness event in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

The case was later tossed out by the bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, K. G. Balakrishnan, who slammed complainants for seeking cheap publicity and in the process bringing a bad name to the country.

In 1987, he co-founded The Tibet House in New York City. The aim of the organization is to preserve Tibetan culture and spiritual heritage and to present it to the western world.

In 1995, he was appointed as the chairman of the board for the International Campaign for Tibet, which aims to champion democratic freedom and human rights of the Tibetan people.

He has done extensive activism work to raise awareness about AIDS. He played the key role in the establishment of AIDS Care Home, which is an Indian residential facility for children and women diagnosed with AIDS.

He has been appointed to the board of directors for Healing the Divide, which is a non-profit organization that aims to promote peace, justice, and understanding through global initiatives.

He studied Zen for about 5 to 6 years before traveling to Nepal with the Brazilian painter Sylvia Martins to meet Tibetan lamas and monks, which eventually led to his conversion to a staunch Buddhist.

He is an active supporter of the Survival International, which works to protect rights and preserve the lands of the tribal people all over the world.